1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sterilization devices and more particularly to autoclaves which also compact medical debris.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Autoclaves for sterilizing medical equipment have been known in the past. Recently, however, interest in the community has arisen over the disposal of used medical equipment which although sterilized still presents a public hazard when recovered by those in the illegal drug business. For this reason various statutory schemes have been enacted which require safe disposal. In particular, most statutory schemes require both sterilization and effective destruction of such medical equipment. To meet the foregoing conditions various devices have been developed which in one way or another shred, break or cut the discarded medical equipment which, however, in the course of such function wear out cutting edges or other structural parts. Accordingly, prior art devices like syringe shredders, while suitable for their purpose, often entail repair maintenance sequences which in themselves present a hazard to the maintenance personnel particularly in view of the possible contaminants which sometimes may pass through the sterilization cycle.
Based on these considerations techniques which isolate the hazardous discarded medical devices from those maintaining and operating the sterilization and crushing process have both been sought in the past and are required to meet the various statutory enactments now in effect. It is one such technique that is disclosed herein.